1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a battery operated toothbrush arrangement. More specifically, the invention relates to such an arrangement including a rechargeable battery and circuitry for recharging the rechargeable battery as well as a novel recharging arrangement for recharging the rechargeable battery.
The invention also relates to an electrically operated toothbrush having a brush including a plurality of tuft means, and a drive arrangement for rotatably driving said tuft means.
2. Description of Prior Art
Battery operated toothbrushes are known in the art as illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,806, Hukuba, Feb. 23, 1988, 4,698,869, Mierau et al, Oct. 13, 1987, 4,709,438, de Tavares, Dec. 1, 1987 and 4,731,896, de La Tour, Mar. 22, 1988 as well as Canadian Patent 1,082,408, Clemens, Jul. 29, 1980.
The '806 patent teaches a battery operated toothbrush which has a battery 15 contained in the grip or handle portion 1. The head portion 3, containing bristles 7, is removable from the handle portion.
The '869 patent also teaches a battery operated toothbrush which senses the pressure applied to the teeth and transmits a signal representative of the sensed pressure. The battery 3 operates a motor 2 which has its rotary motion converted to oscillatory motion of a shaft 5 by a gear 4.
The '438 patent once again teaches a battery operated toothbrush which has a cylindrical brush 2 (see FIG. 5) which is rotated by a shaft 8 of a motor 4. The motor 4 is powered by battery 5. A gravity control switch 7 ensures that the brush always rotates in a direction from the gums to the crown of the teeth.
None of the '806, '869 or '438 patents teach a system for recharging the batteries which drive them. Indeed, it is not stated that the batteries which drive the battery operated toothbrushes of the above three patents are preferably or otherwise rechargeable.
The toothbrush of the '896 patent is not battery operated, but does have teachings of a toothbrush head 31 which is pivotable relative to the grip 5.
Canadian Patent 1,082,408 also teaches a battery operated toothbrush. However, once again, the battery is not indicated as being a rechargeable battery. The Canadian patent also teaches a gear train arrangement for rotatably driving bristle means 42 of a brush. In the Canadian patent, each bristle means is separately rotatably driven about its own central axis.
Also known in the art are rechargeable toothbrush arrangements including a recharging stand. The rechargeable batteries of the toothbrush are carried in the gripping member of the toothbrush. In order to recharge the batteries, the gripping member has to be plugged into a recharging stand which includes recharging circuitry. The recharging stand is then plugged into a power mains.